Why are highly educated people choosing blue-collar jobs abroad?

DHAKA – According to the records of a government-initiated overseas recruitment app, Ami Probashi, 50,000 registered applicants for blue-collar jobs such as labourers, drivers, and cleaners hold graduate and postgraduate degrees. More than three-fourths of the 2,477 PhD holders have also listed menial jobs as their options to leave the country. This trend is not just a statistical oddity, but a clear sign of deep-seated issues within our local job market and the broader socioeconomic context. The interest in low-skilled jobs in conventional migrant destinations (e.g., the Middle East, Malaysia, Europe, and North America) demands closer scrutiny.

It is common for expatriates to engage in odd jobs while they are studying or use them as a toehold for better alternatives. However, accepting (read: expecting) jobs that fall short of their academic qualifications and expertise, especially in such large quantities, is concerning. Think of the social cost. In an ideal situation, when highly educated individuals leave their home country to take up low-skilled jobs abroad, that country loses out on the potential contributions they could make to different professional fields.

These individuals, from an opportunity cost perspective, forgo the possibility of securing high-paying, high-status jobs that align with their qualifications. Instead, they are more focused on their immediate need for improved living conditions and economic stability by choosing menial jobs. The opportunity cost is not just personal; it is national. This brain drain stunts the country’s growth and exacerbates the lack of qualified experts in critical industries. One might counter-argue that in a country with high unemployment, at least these individuals would become “remittance warriors” and foray into our national development.

As the world gets flat, Thomas Friedman argues, the draw from a better economy is natural. According to him, globalisation has levelled the playing field and given everyone everywhere equal opportunities. Friedman has been proven wrong. The migration of highly educated individuals from poorer countries to take on low-skilled jobs in wealthier countries highlights the persistent inequalities and barriers that exist. It reveals that the world is far from flat. Just as the caste system once maintained social hierarchy, the rich world still relies on the poor to perform their “dirty” jobs. A software designer receives a higher royalty for their innovation compared to workers in a manufacturing plant.

Seeing our PhD holders choose menial jobs over research and innovation highlights a flaw in our educational policy. Why can’t we engage our graduates with the highest achievements in a productive manner and employ them in the upper echelon? Does it mean our degrees don’t matter, at least in many OECD countries?

The more scandals we stir up, the more questionable the reputation of our degrees will become. If a premier institution admits a high-profile candidate for a PhD because of his professional influence and grants him a degree based on a 90-page report, it’s inevitable that questions will arise. And job placements for our local PhD holders as stereotypical taxi drivers will always remain a possibility.

I remember meeting one of my old university colleagues in London, a famed scientist who migrated to the UK in a highly skilled category, working as a nightclub bouncer. I never could understand his strange career choice. Maybe Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs can help us understand the necessities of such a drastic career shift. In their home country, these highly educated individuals may struggle to meet even their basic needs due to economic instability and a lack of job opportunities. By migrating and taking up blue-collar jobs, they aim to secure their fundamental needs, with the hope of eventually moving up the hierarchy to achieve higher-level aspirations.

However, this is not a sustainable solution. We need to address the root causes of this trend by improving job opportunities, strengthening social security nets, and ensuring the quality and relevance of higher education. And this is precisely why public university teachers are boycotting the Prottoy scheme under the universal pension system. You cannot expect a university teacher with the best possible academic credentials to start a career with a Tk 22,000 basic salary and then have Tk 5,000 taka from their salary deducted for a future pension scheme. Even a private-sector driver with a Class 8 certificate earns more than a university teacher today.

Social security has become non-existent. The lack of safety nets became obvious during the pandemic. Most of us struggle to live hand-to-mouth. We do not have any mechanism to cope with emergencies. In contrast, wealthier countries often provide robust social security systems, making them attractive destinations for migrants seeking a more secure and predictable life. The colleague I mentioned was pleased that his professional sacrifice could ensure better schooling and healthcare for his family members. At least he was making an honest living. He did not pay millions to question leakers or corrupt bosses in order to get a job. He did not become a civil servant thinking of his job as a milking machine that would churn his initial investments into “mast bhari cheese.”

Other contributing factors that cause people to opt for lesser options abroad include frustrations over opportunities and appreciation, the desire to join family members abroad, or the desire to escape political and social instability at home. A country that treats a film extra or a below-par player with more importance than a scientist, innovator or researcher is likely to lose its talents for sure. Whatever the motivation, the broader implication is clear: our current system is failing to harness the potential of our educated workforce.

The trend of highly educated individuals opting for blue-collar jobs abroad is a wake-up call for policymakers and stakeholders in the country. It underscores the urgent need for comprehensive reforms in our education system, labour market policies, and social security frameworks. We must create an environment where our brightest minds can thrive and contribute to the nation’s development, rather than seeking solace in menial jobs abroad.